Foundation garment



Feb. 16, 1954 E. H. TOFANELLI 2,668,953

FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed June 7, 1951 INVENTOR Ellen Hogberg TofuneHi BY ypgm ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNDATION GARMENT Ellen Hagberg Tofanelli, Mill Valley, Calif.

Application June 7, 1951, Serial No. 230,353

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved foundation garment or girdle of the type adapted to be worn on the posterior portion of the human body.

The foundation garment or girdle embodying the principles of the present invention is preferably made from resilient fabric, moulded rubber, or other suitable material capable of permitting the normal movement of the body on which the garment is worn, while at the same time con fining the fleshy portions of the wearers posterior so the natural shape thereof is maintained. Most girdles of the kind now commonly used merely envelope the posterior portion of a wearers body and compress the buttocks together in a manner whereby the natural contour of such posterior body portion is distorted from its normal shape. Unlike the conventional girdles now in use the foundation garment comprising the present invention is so constructed and designed that it confines the fleshy portions of each half of the wearer's body posterior independently oi the other in a manner which preserves its natural contour and at the same time permits normal body movements without restraint. My founda swim suit, tights, or other article of wearing apparel representative of my invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is for purposes of illustration only, and that therefore it is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a garment embodying my invention, as viewed from the side horizontal plane extending slightly above the points where the maximum width of the garment occurs, which is slightly above the normal position of the wearer's hip joints.

The principles of my invention are shown for purposes of illustration on the accompanying drawings, wherein a foundation garment, girdle, or the like. made from resilient fabric, rubber, or a combination of such materials, is shown as having a construction adapted to closely fit over and around the posterior of the wearers body.

vided, separately embraced and supported by the modern brassiere. The resilient independent support of each half of the bodys posterior avoids the usual compressing action imparted to the buttocks and hips during the wearing of girdles 0f the kind now in common use, and because of the separation and the unconnected independent support of each half of the bodys posterior, there is permitted a free movement of one buttock with respect to the other.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel foundation garment or girdle of the kind characterized which envelopes each half portion of the wearers body posterior and confines and supports the independent fleshy portions thereof while at the same time preserving the natural contour and shape of such posterior without acting to restrict the normal body movement.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter, or will be indicated in the appended claims, or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of this application I have elected to show certain forms and details of a foundation garment, girdle,

The garment comprises a wide body fitting waist band preferably having its lower front edges slanted downwardly in opposite directions as at 2, 2 and its lower rear edges also sloping downwardly as at 3, 3 in opposite directions. Secured to the lower edges of the waist band is a closely fitting buttocks enclosing member which is adapted to extend around the buttocks and upper thighs of the wearer. Comprising the buttocks enclosing member are two similarly shaped buttock enveloping members 4, 4, which are shaped with concave lower portions 5, 5, within which the fleshy convex portions of the buttocks are confined. The buttocks enveloping members 4, 4, are connected together at the rear along a vertical seam or reenforcing line 6, such seam or reenforcing line being entirely above a horizontal plane extending through points where the maximum width of the garment occurs, which points extend forwardly around the wearers body said panel members being joined along aiion r 55 vertical seam or reenforcing line 1:9, such seam or reenforcing line being entirely above the horin4 zontal plane extending through points where the maximum width of the garment occurs, which points are in approximately horizontal alignment with the wearers hip joints. The concave lower portions 5, 5, of the buttock enveloping members and the front panel members are connected to two snugly fitting thigh enclosing members [0, I0, which extend around the upper portions of the thighs. A crotch opening 11 is located between the lower ends of. the seams 6 and vihsuch crotch opening being positioned to separate the lower concave portions 5, 5 of the buttocks-enveloping members 4, 4. The lines 2, 2, 3, 3, 6, 1, 1, and 9 along which the various portions-of the garment are joined together, aswell as the edges;

of the crotch opening ll, may be reeniorced by scams or additional thicknesses of material, thereby giving the garment a definite form fitting shape, whereby the body contours are definitely maintained. .The vcrotch opening Ii being arranged in the manner shown with the buttocks enveloping members being. separated, thereby, prevents the elastic material of the garmentfrom compressing together the buttocks and upper thighs of the wearer. Thev concave lower portions 5', 5 firmly encase the ,fieshy convex portions of the buttock and at the same time maintain their natural shapes. The wide waist band i fits firmly around the wearers abdomen, thereby providing a restricting influence for the abdominal tissues. in the manner of agirdleorcorset.

Garters 12 may be suspended from the'thigh enclosing members iinthe manner shown in Figs. land 2.

What I claim is:

1. A close fitting body-encircling garment'having connectedresilient ,front and rear sides and a resilient waist band, the said garment having its maximum width where itextends around the hip joints of the wearer, the rearjside comprising a buttocks-enclosing member secured to and depending from the waist band, such buttocksenclosing member havingsimilarly'shaped con- -a:: point above the horizontal plane passing through the widest part of the garment.

" 2. A'close fitting body-encircling garment havingaconnected resilient front and rear sides, the

, said garment having its maximum width where it extends around'the hip joints of the wearer,

the ,rear side comprising a buttocks-enclosing member having similarly shaped concave portions adapted to firmly encase the fleshy, convex .portions of the wearers buttocks, thejsaid buttocksenclosing member being joined at its sides to, the front side of the garment, and a resilient pair of upper thigh-encircling members secured toand dependingfrom the buttocks-enclosing member and the front side or the garment, the said upper thigh encircling members and the concave-pore tions of the buttocks-enclosing member being separated at the crotch portion. of the garment by an opening extending to a,.point. abovethe horizontal plane passing through the widest part of the garment.

ELLEN HAGBERG TOFANELLI.

References Cited in the file 'of this patent UNITED, STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,468,346 Rayden A131.'26,l94:9 2,522,510 Fridolph Sept-19, 1950 2,529,115 Thalman 'Nov. 7, 1950 2,565,866 Loftus et a1 Aug. 28, 1951 2,569,229 Cooper Sept. 21, 1951 

